Battery-charging device



W fig H. s. WERNER BATTERY CHARGING DEVICE Filed March 25,

l l WM WaEW INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS;

Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES HENRY S. WERNER, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

BATTERY-CHARGING DEVICE.

Application filed larch 25, 1925. Serial N'o. 18,361.

nating current for charging storage batteries or the like, the invention including the employment of a rectifying bulb or thermionic diode having a burned out or brokeniilainent.

An important object is to provide an apparatus of this character including are means whereby the tube may be excited instead of by the usual heatediilainent.

Another object is the provisionof an apparatus of this character in which use is made of an auxiliary source of-eurrent such as one of the storage batteries on charge to energize means for producing a high tension current for exciting the bulb.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character in which the construction and arrangement are such that the exciting coil will not vibrate upon interruption of the current supply or on account of the existence of bad lnterconnection of the batteries, the normal posit on of the contacts of the relay device being With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagram of the system, and

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of the bulb equipped with an auxiliary member for applying current thereto.

Referring to the drawings wherein is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a rectifier bulb of a commercial type such for instance as the Tungar which bulb is really a thermionic diode inasmuch as it includes a filament 11 and a plate or target 12. How-' ever, in the present instance it will be observed that the filament 11 is represented as burned out or broken as my invention contemplates the employment of such bulbs which under ordinary systems are thrown away as worthless. In carrying out the invention I provide a band or other metallic conducting member 13 arranged in encircling relation to the bulb and having means 14 thereon for effecting connection of a conductor l5 therewith. The current used in connection with this bulb is the ordinary alternating current which may range from one hundred to one hundred and twentyiive volts and which may be of any frequency, say for instance from between thirty to five hundred cycles. I preferably employ a two pole single throw switch designated broadly by the numeral 16 for controlling connection of the entire apparatus to the power line which includes the conductors l7- and 18. These conductors l7 and 18 are connected respectively with contacts 19 and 20 of the switch structure, while connected with the opposite contacts 21 and 22 are conductors 23 and 24, the former of which is connected with the filament 11 and the latter of which is connected with a suitable rheostat 25 having a movable contact arm 26 leading to a double throw switch designated broadly by the numeral 27. An ainmeter A may be interposed in the conductor 26 in order that the output from the tube may be readily ascertained at any time.

The numeral 28 designates the storage batteries to be charged, and connected with the positive terminal of the battery or one endinost positive terminal of a series of batteries, in case more than one is being charged, which is probable, is a conductor 30 connected with one contact 31 of the switch 27, while connected with the negative terminal of the battery or batteries is a conductor 32 leading to the other contact 33 of the switch 27 and connected with the plate 12. This switch 27 includes a movable con tact arm 3 adapted to be brought into engagement with either the contact 31 or the contact 33, as the case may be, as will be hereinafter explained.

I also provide a starting relay indicated broadly by the numeral 35 and including a pair of GICCtI'OHlflHGtS 36 and 37 between WllICil is positioned an armature, 38 adapted to engage a contact 39. The plate or target 12 is connected by a wire 40 with one terr ininal of the Winding of the electro-magnet 36 which has its other terminal connected by a wire 41 with the wire 23. The filament 11 is connected by a wire 42 with one terminal of the winding of the electro-magnet '37 which has its other terminal connected by'a wire 43 with the wire 24. The contact 39 has connected therewith a wire 44 connected with the wire 40.

In order that a spark may be produced across the gap in the broken filament 11, I make use of a high tension transformer designated generall at 45 and including primar and secondary coils 46 and 47 respective y, both of which are connected by a wire 48 with the armature 38. ary coil 47 has its other terminal connected with a metallic member 49 which is spaced from a similar member 50 with which connects theconductor 15. The members 49 and 50 are spaced apart to define a spark gap 51. The remaining terminal of the primary coil 46 is connected wlth a vibrator 52 adapted to engage and disengage a contact 53 with which is connected a wire 54 connected with a six volt tap on the battery or batteries 28. A condenser 55 may be shunted across the vibrator in the usual manner to reduce sparking at the contact points.

In the operation of the device it will be seen that ordinarily the armature 48 is in a neutral position out of engagement with the contact 39. Assuming that the batteries 28 have been connected on the line, to start operations it is first necessary to close the switch 16 and to swing the arm 34 of the switch 27 into engagement with the contact 33. When this is done current flows from the wire 17 through the wires 23 and 41 to the electro-magnet 36, wire 40, wire 32, contact 33, arm 34 wire 26, rheostat 25, and wire 24 through the switch 16 and back through the wire 18. This causes energization of the electro-magnet 36 and the ar mature 38 will be attracted and brought into engagement with the contact 39. Current then flows from the six volt tap of the storage battery, through the Wire 54, vibrator 52 and coil 46, wire 48, armature 38, contact 39,'wire 44, and wires 40 and 32 back to the negative terminal of the storage battery, the circuit being thus complete. The high tension current induced in the secondary coil 47 will jump the ga 51 and pass through the wire 15 to the and 13, thus excitin the rectifying bulb 10. As soon as the bul starts operating the switch arm 34 is swungout of engagement with the contact 33 and into engagement with the contact 31 whereupon the battery or batteries will be charged. When the bulb starts operating, pro need by placing a high potential across the band 13 and the filament 11, the electro-magnet 37 becomes energized, drawing the armature 38 out of engagement with the contact 39, thus rendering the transformer inactive. As current flows constantly through the electro-magnet 36, it is obvious that the electro-magnet 37 must The second- I .will become inactive.

be of greater strength in order to hold the armature 38 out of engagement with the contact 30.

In the event of failure of the rectified.

Y Furthermore, the device is able to work on any frequency of alternating current due to the fact that it does not involve the employment of a transformer. It is also clear that the device will operate on direct cur rent by short circuiting the bulb so that it In actual practice I have discovered that the apparatus will produce a comparatively smooth output current in view of the fact that there is no filament excitation by alternating current. Another distinctive feature of advantage is that there is no kick back eiiect as in the case of machines using transformers and that there will be greater stability of operation throughout.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a rectifying device for alternating current, a thermionic diode tube of the plate and filament type having an exhausted filament, means for supplying alternating current to the filament and plate, separately energized high tension means for producing an are within the tube to effect excitation thereof, and means in circuit with and energized by current passing through the tube for automatically cutting out said high tension means upon excitation of the tube, said means including electro-magnets and a movable relay switch controlled thereby, one magnet being in circuit with the input to the diode and the other being in circuit with the output therefrom.

' 2. In a battery charging apparatus embodying a two element rectifying tube in which the filament is broken or burned out, input and output circuits connected with the tube, and means connected with the input circuit and located exteriorly upon the tube for effecting ionization and starting current flow between the filament and plate.

,3. In a battery charging a paratus embodying a two element recti ymg tube in which the filament is broken or burned out,

input and output circuits connected with the tube, and means connected with the input circuit and located exteriorly upon the tube for effecting ionization and starting current flow between the filament and plate, said means comprising a capacity element.

4. In a battery charging apparatus embodying a two element rectifying tube in which the filament is broken or burned out, input and output circuits connected with the tube, and means connected with the input circuit and located exteriorly upon the tube for effecting ionization and starting current flow between the filament and plate, said means comprising'a metallic member extending around the outside of the tube and connected with a high tension curren independent of said input circuit. I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HENRY s. WERNER. 

